Chillfest Film Festival

[charles2lions]

SAVE ME follows Mark (Chad Allen), a sexually compulsive and drug-addicted young man who is forced into an ex-gay ministry run by Gayle ("Ugly Betty's" Judith Light) in an attempt to cure him of his "affliction." But Mark finds solace in Scott ("Queer as Folk's" Robert Gant), who is battling demons of his own. Soon Mark and Scott find their friendship developing into something more...

Here's what the critics have to say about SAVE ME:

"[Judith Light gives] one of the year's best performances."
-The Village Voice

"Up there with Brokeback Mountain as one of the most powerful gay dramas of recent years."
-Time Out London

WHAT: SAVE screening starring Chad Allen, Robert Gant, and Judith Light ("Ugly Betty")

WHEN: Sunday, March 14th, 4:20PM (doors open 4:00PM). Arrive early for drinks, food, socializing, and best seats. Full bar and dinner menu available.

WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, 1/2 block from Grove Street PATH station in Downtown Jersey City.

HOW MUCH: $8 at the door; $5 advance tickets available at http://www.theladyinquestion.com/chillfest/

Online ticketing is done securely via Paypal.
A limited number of tickets are available at the door day of screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance ticketholders must arrive by 4pm at day of screening or your ticket may be released.

The Chillfest Second Sunday Series runs monthly from October through June 2010 and offers gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender-themed films to Jersey City and the region.

Chillfest is a sponsored project of New York Foundation for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization.

[charles2lions]

FAT GIRLS is the candidly funny comedy focusing on the trials and tribulations of Rodney Miller, a gay, theater-obsessed high school senior who has his heart set on Broadway stardom and an eye out for love. With the help of his best friend (and fellow outcast) Sabrina, Rodney takes us on a winning journey of self-discovery. With an abundance of underdog spirit and crowd pleasing humor FAT GIRLS explores the sometimes heartrending challenges of growing up in small town America. Produced, written, and directed by ASH CHRISTIAN.

Here's what the critics have to say about FAT GIRLS:

"Wry, real, and evidently very satisfying teen-flavored flick."
- Logo Online

"A guilty pleasure that homophile fans of both "Napolean Dynamite" and "American Pie" might enjoy."
- Variety

"Heart-warming reminder of just how special each of our teenage "gay self-awareness" and "coming out" stories are. Ash Christian captures what is best in the campy, low-class realism styles of such famous directors as John Waters, Ed Wood, and even David Lynch while still remaining entirely original in his approach."
- AfterElton.com

WHAT: FAT GIRLS screening starring Ash Christian, Robin de Jesus ("Camp") and Jonathan Caouette ("Tarnation")

WHEN: Sunday, February 14th, 4:20PM (doors open 4:00PM). Arrive early for drinks, food, socializing, and best seats. Full bar and dinner menu available.

WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, 1/2 block from Grove Street PATH station in Downtown Jersey City.

HOW MUCH: $8 at the door; $5 advance tickets available at http://www.theladyinquestion.com/chillfest/

Online ticketing is done securely via Paypal.
A limited number of tickets are available at the door day of screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance ticketholders must arrive by 4pm at day of screening or your ticket may be released.

The Chillfest Second Sunday Series runs monthly from October through June 2010 and offers gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender-themed films to Jersey City and the region.

Chillfest is a sponsored project of New York Foundation for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization.

[charles2lions]

Sharon Gless stars in the passionate drama HANNAH FREE, an acclaimed new film about a lifelong love affair between an independent spirit and the woman she calls home.

Hannah and Rachel grew up as little girls in the same small Midwest town, where traditional gender expectations eventually challenge their deep love for one another. Hannah becomes an adventurous, unapologetic lesbian and Rachel a strong but quiet homemaker. Weaving back and forth between past and present, the film reveals how the women maintained their love affair despite a marriage, a world war, infidelities, and family denial.

Here's what the critics have to say about HANNAH FREE:

"Sharon Gless brings grit, authenticity and dimension to the title character. She commands the screen."
- San Francisco Chronicle

"Gless transcends [all] as a once-and-forever firebrand!"
- Chicago Tribune

"Cagney lives, and she’s as cranky as ever."
- LA Weekly

"This level of interpersonal lesbian drama definitely gives the women of "The L Word" a run for their money!"
- After Ellen (Logo Online)

"Love scenes with Rachel and Hannah as mature older woman are beautiful in depicting how a love can age like fine wine."
- New York Q News

WHAT: HANNAH FREE screening starring SHARON GLESS ("Burn Notice," "Queer as Folk," "Cagney & Lacey")

WHEN: Sunday, January 10th, 4:20PM (doors open 4:00PM). Arrive early for drinks, food, socializing, and best seats. Full bar and dinner menu available.

WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, 1/2 block from Grove Street PATH station in Downtown Jersey City.

HOW MUCH: $8 at the door; $5 advance tickets available at http://www.theladyinquestion.com/chillfest/

Online ticketing is done securely via Paypal.
A limited number of tickets are available at the door day of screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance ticketholders must arrive by 4pm at day of screening or your ticket may be released.

The Chillfest Second Sunday Series runs monthly from October through June 2010 and offers gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender-themed films to Jersey City and the region.

Chillfest is a sponsored project of New York Foundation for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization.

[charles2lions]

Chillfest screens LITTLE ASHES, a daring interpretation of Spanish national hero and writer Federico García Lorca's passion for Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí.

As 1920's Spain teeters on the brink of civil war, repressed sexual tensions rage war inside three friends. Javier Beltrán, Robert Pattinson (TWILIGHT: NEW MOON) and Matthew McNulty star in this romantic drama about the young life and loves of artist Salvador Dalí, filmmaker Luis Buñuel and poet and playwright Federico García Lorca.

Critics have called LITTLE ASHES "mesmerizing and captivating."

WHAT: LITTLE ASHES screening starring ROBERT PATTINSON ("Twilight," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire")

WHEN: Sunday, November 8, 4:20pm (doors open 4:00pm). Arrive early for drinks, food, socializing, and best seats. Full bar and dinner menu available.

WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, 1/2 block from Grove Street PATH station in Downtown Jersey City.

HOW MUCH: $8 at the door; $5 advance tickets available at http://www.theladyinquestion.com/chillfest/

Online ticketing is done securely via Paypal.
A limited number of tickets are available at the door day of screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance ticketholders must arrive by 4pm at day of screening or your ticket may be released.

The Chillfest Second Sunday Series runs monthly from October through June 2010 and offers gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender-themed films to Jersey City and the region.

Chillfest is a sponsored project of New York Foundation for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization.

[charles2lions]

Chillfest screens LITTLE ASHES, a daring interpretation of Spanish national hero and writer Federico García Lorca's passion for Surrealist painter Salvador Dalí.

As 1920's Spain teeters on the brink of civil war, repressed sexual tensions rage war inside three friends. Javier Beltrán, Robert Pattinson (TWILIGHT: NEW MOON) and Matthew McNulty star in this romantic drama about the young life and loves of artist Salvador Dalí, filmmaker Luis Buñuel and poet and playwright Federico García Lorca.

Critics have called LITTLE ASHES "mesmerizing and captivating."

WHAT: LITTLE ASHES screening starring ROBERT PATTINSON ("Twilight," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire")

WHEN: Sunday, November 8, 4:20pm (doors open 4:00pm). Arrive early for drinks, food, socializing, and best seats. Full bar and dinner menu available.

WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, 1/2 block from Grove Street PATH station in Downtown Jersey City.

HOW MUCH: $8 at the door; $5 advance tickets available at http://www.theladyinquestion.com/chillfest/

Online ticketing is done securely via Paypal.
A limited number of tickets are available at the door day of screening on a first-come, first-served basis. Advance ticketholders must arrive by 4pm at day of screening or your ticket may be released.

The Chillfest Second Sunday Series runs monthly from October through June 2010 and offers gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender-themed films to Jersey City and the region.

Chillfest is a sponsored project of New York Foundation for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization.

[Soshin]

More people in NY probably know Quentin Crisp for

this

than "The Naked Civil Servant" which is a shame because it is a great book.

[charles2lions]

WHAT: The Chillfest fifth season kickoff screening of AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK for National Coming Out Day. The Hollywood Reporter says it "deserves to be seen for another of John Hurt's exquisitely observed performances."

Joined by a stellar supporting cast including Swoozie Kurtz, Denis O'Hare and Cynthia Nixon ("Sex and the City") as bi, feminist performance artist Penny Arcade(!), Hurt is pitch-perfect in this illuminating portrayal of the unique gay pioneer. Directed by Richard Laxton.

WHEN: Sunday, October 11, 4:00pm (doors open 3:30pm). Full bar and dinner menu available. Come early for food, drinks and socializing.

WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Ave, 1/2 block from Grove St PATH station in Downtown Jersey City.

Cost: $8 at the door; $5 advance tickets available at www.chillfest.org

Logo is the Premiere Sponsor of this National Coming Out Day screening event.

The Chillfest Second Sunday Series runs monthly from October through June 2010 and offers gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender-themed films to Jersey City and the region. It is the only film event of its kind in Northern New Jersey and all screenings take place at LITM, the restaurant, bar and gallery at 140 Newark Ave in Downtown Jersey City. LITM is just steps from the Grove St PATH stop, 10 minutes from Manhattan.

Chillfest is a sponsored project of New York Foundation for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization.

[Robocub]

I hope to make it to the screening. I met Quentin at a party once. He's was a smarty pants. And very flirtatious even in his late 80s. I used t pass by his old apartment in the East Village often.

[charles2lions]

WHAT: The Chillfest 5th Anniversary season premiere screening AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK for National Coming Out Day. The Hollywood Reporter says it "deserves to be seen for another of John Hurt's exquisitely observed performances."

WHEN: Sunday, October 11, 4:00pm (doors open 3:30pm). Full bar and dinner menu available.

WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Ave, 1/2 block from Grove St PATH station in Downtown Jersey City.

Cost: $8 at the door; $5 advance tickets available at www.chillfest.org

Logo is the Premiere Sponsor of this National Coming Out Day screening event.

The Chillfest Second Sunday Series runs monthly from October through June 2010 and offers gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender-themed films to Jersey City and the region. It is the only film event of its kind in Northern New Jersey and all screenings take place at LITM, the restaurant, bar and gallery at 140 Newark Ave in Downtown Jersey City. LITM is just steps from the Grove St PATH stop, 10 minutes from Manhattan.

Chillfest is a sponsored project of New York Foundation for the Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization.

[MCA™]

Next in the Chillfest Second Saturday Series!

ASK NOT - Saturday, April 11, 2009
Time:   1:30pm - 4:30pm
Location:   LITM
Street:   140 Newark Avenue
City/Town:Jersey City, NJ

ASK NOT is a compelling exploration of the effects of the US military's "don't ask don't tell" policy. As a new and Democratic President Obama engages the nation in a period of sweeping change, LGBT Americans ask what may become of a lingering and abhorrent inequality created by our last Democratic President. A provocative portrait of bravery amidst exclusion, ASK NOT reveals the personal stories of Americans willing to risk their lives for a country that criminalizes the act of coming out. ASK NOT is NOT to be missed.

"Brisk and smart" - Variety
"Required viewing" - San Francisco International Film Festival

Special guest speaker: NATHANIEL FRANK. Author of "Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America."

Frank has been interviewed for national television and radio programs, including ABC's "Good Morning America," the "CBS Evening News with Dan Rather," CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360," "CBS News on Logo," "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," and MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show."


Screening at LITM, 140 Newark Avenue (a half block from Grove Street PATH in Downtown Jersey City). Cash bar and drink specials available.

Tickets: $8 at the door, JCLGO Members $5, Students $3

Add Chillfest to your Facebook

[MCA™]

Next in the Chillfest Second Saturday Series!

XXY - Saturday, March 14, 2PM
Socializing and drinks start at 1:30PM

For just about everybody, adolescence means having to confront a number of choices and life decisions, but rarely any as monumental as the one facing 15 year-old Alex (Ines Efron,) who was born an intersex child. As Alex begins to explore her sexuality, her mother invites friends from Buenos Aires to come for a visit at their house on the gorgeous Uruguayan shore, along with their 16-year-old son Álvaro (Martin Piroyanski.) Alex is immediately attracted to the young man, which adds yet another level of complexity to her personal search for identity, and forces both families to face their worst fears. Winner of numerous festival awards. In Spanish with English subtitles.

Screening at LITM, 140 Newark Avenue (a half block from Grove Street PATH in Downtown Jersey City). Cash bar and drink specials available.

Tickets: $8 at the door; Students $3

Add Chillfest to your Facebook

[Robocub]

Count us in!

[MCA™]

Next in the Chillfest Second Saturday Series!

"CHRIS & DON: A Love Story" - Saturday, Feb 14, 2PM
Socializing and drinks start at 1:30PM.

"CHRIS & DON: A Love Story," Directed by Guido Santi and Tina Mascara. The true-life story of the passionate three-decade relationship between British writer Christopher Isherwood (whose Berlin Stories was the basis for all incarnations of the much-beloved CABARET) and American portrait painter Don Bachardy, thirty years his junior. From Isherwood’s Kit-Kat-Club years in Weimar-era Germany to the couple’s first meeting on the sun-kissed beaches of 1950s Malibu, their against-all-odds saga is brought to dazzling life by a treasure trove of multimedia. Bachardy’s contemporary reminiscences artfully interact with archival footage, rare home movies (with glimpses of glitterati pals W.H. Auden, Igor Stravinsky and Tennessee Williams), reenactments, and, most sweetly, whimsical animations based on the cat-and-horse cartoons the pair used in their personal correspondence. With Isherwood’s status as an out-and-proud gay maverick, and Bachardy’s eventual artistic triumph away from the considerable shadow of his life partner, "CHRIS & DON: A Love Story" is above all a joyful celebration of a most extraordinary couple.

Sat, Feb 14, 1:30PM Drinks and Socializing, 2:00PM Screening. At LITM, 140 Newark Avenue (a half block from Grove Street PATH in Downtown Jersey City). Cash bar and drink specials available.

Tickets: $8 at the door; Students $3

Add Chillfest to your Facebook

[MCA™]

Next in the Chillest Second Saturday Series!

WERE THE WORLD MINE - Saturday, Dec 13, 2PM

An audience and competition winner at numerous film festivals across North America, WERE THE WORLD MINE takes a daring leap from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to every gay high school boy’s fantasy, when the wistful and beautiful Timothy (Tanner Cohen) uses a love potion to turn his whole school, including the jocks, passionately GAY. If the Bard’s mischievous Puck were queer, this is the world he would create for his pleasure, a world where guys dance ballet and kiss during sports practice, and hard-nosed teachers learn their lesson through love by falling hopelessly for their same-sex peers. This entertaining and moving film, as shrewdly imagined by director Tom Gustafson, will transport any gay person back to the distant daydreams that passed the time in study hall. A talented and handsome cast delivers on the bold yet playful premise of the film. WERE THE WORLD MINE is not to be missed.

Next Second Saturday Screening:

WERE THE WORLD MINE
Sat, Dec 13, 2:30PM (doors open at 2:00PM). At LITM, 140 Newark Avenue (a half block from Grove Street PATH in Downtown Jersey City). Cash bar and drink specials available.

TIchets: $8 at the door

[Robocub]

Me and my huzbind went to see PAGEANT yesterday. What a great time we had. The movie was amazing and we were treated to a surprise guest appearance by "Porkchop", one of the Ms. Gay America contestant. He was really personable and charming answering Q&A from the audience. We'll be back for more Chillfest! Oh yeah and the Pumkin-Pie-tini served up by the very friendly LITM bartenders was really delicious!

Chillfest Second Saturday Series returns for its 4th season!

Next screening: PAGEANT
Saturday, Nov 8, 2PM

PAGEANT takes you behind the scenes as 52 ordinary gentlemen go to extraordinary lengths in hopes of being crowned the 34th Miss Gay America! The suspenseful story of bare-knuckled – but not bare-breasted! – competition follows five of the most talented and beautiful female impersonators as they prepare to dominate in this hot and heated contest. PAGEANT features stunning musical numbers and talent routines, while diving into the heart and soul of this make-believe world to discover the men behind the makeup. New Jersey premiere.

WHAT: Area premiere of PAGEANT at the next Chillfest Second Saturday Series; Special surprise guest!
WHEN: Sat, Nov 8, 2:30PM (doors open at 2:00PM). Cash bar and drink specials available.
WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, a half block from Grove Street PATH in Downtown Jersey City.
TICKETS: $8 at the door

[MCA™]

Chillfest Second Saturday Series returns for its 4th season!

Next screening: PAGEANT
Saturday, Nov 8, 2PM

PAGEANT takes you behind the scenes as 52 ordinary gentlemen go to extraordinary lengths in hopes of being crowned the 34th Miss Gay America! The suspenseful story of bare-knuckled – but not bare-breasted! – competition follows five of the most talented and beautiful female impersonators as they prepare to dominate in this hot and heated contest. PAGEANT features stunning musical numbers and talent routines, while diving into the heart and soul of this make-believe world to discover the men behind the makeup. New Jersey premiere.

WHAT: Area premiere of PAGEANT at the next Chillfest Second Saturday Series; Special surprise guest!
WHEN: Sat, Nov 8, 2:30PM (doors open at 2:00PM). Cash bar and drink specials available.
WHERE: LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, a half block from Grove Street PATH in Downtown Jersey City.
TICKETS: $8 at the door

[jc_insomniac]

OH SHIT! I've been wanting to see this! Thanks, MCA!

The next Chillfest:

THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS
Sunday, June 15, 3:00PM at LITM
Preceded by Special LITM Gay Pride Brunch at 2PM
Cash bar with drink specials available

In this impressive debut by director Auraeus Solito, Maximo is a preteen boy who cooks, cleans, sews and supports his family in a squalid Manila slum. His days of petty theft and illegal numbers games running are lightened by improvised fashion parades and playing with other kids. When Maximo meets new neighbor Victor, his life takes a drastic turn when he falls in love with the handsome young cop. Victor angers the family by encouraging Maximo to aspire to a better life away from crime. A charming and intense love story, the film has a deft script and wonderful performances, including one from newcomer Nathan Lopez.

THE BRUNCH: For this special afternoon program, the final Sunday in Chillfest’s third season, a 2PM brunch will be offered by the kitchen of LITM to precede the 3PM screening of THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS. People seated for LITM’s 2PM brunch receive free admittance to the screening! Brunch menu prices vary (menu available at http://www.litm.com).

[MCA™]

The next Chillfest:

THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS
Sunday, June 15, 3:00PM at LITM
Preceded by Special LITM Gay Pride Brunch at 2PM
Cash bar with drink specials available

In this impressive debut by director Auraeus Solito, Maximo is a preteen boy who cooks, cleans, sews and supports his family in a squalid Manila slum. His days of petty theft and illegal numbers games running are lightened by improvised fashion parades and playing with other kids. When Maximo meets new neighbor Victor, his life takes a drastic turn when he falls in love with the handsome young cop. Victor angers the family by encouraging Maximo to aspire to a better life away from crime. A charming and intense love story, the film has a deft script and wonderful performances, including one from newcomer Nathan Lopez.

THE BRUNCH: For this special afternoon program, the final Sunday in Chillfest’s third season, a 2PM brunch will be offered by the kitchen of LITM to precede the 3PM screening of THE BLOSSOMING OF MAXIMO OLIVEROS. People seated for LITM’s 2PM brunch receive free admittance to the screening! Brunch menu prices vary (menu available at http://www.litm.com).

[MCA™]

Chillfest Second Sunday Series

Next screening: Special Sneak Peak of IN THE LIFE'S 2008 Pride Episode
Sunday, May 11, 2PM
LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, Downtown Jersey City

See a special sneak preview of the June 2008 Pride episode of IN THE LIFE, America's gay and lesbian television newsmagazine, including Q&A with Michelle Kristel, executive Director of IN THE LIFE, and others from the production team. Stories for the June episode include XANADU on Broadway starring Cheyenne Jackson, and a profile of Francesca Zambello, one of the world's most notable stage directors (Broadway's THE LITTLE MERMAID).

[MCA™]

Chillfest Second Sunday Series

Next screening: HOLLYWOOD CHINESE
Sunday, April 13, 2PM
LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, Downtown Jersey City

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Arthur Dong takes a lifelong affection for film and combines it with a quest to understand the complexities of cinema. It's his own journey into the world of moviemaking, to discover how stories and images of the Chinese fit within an entertainment industry that mixes art with commerce, a universal art form that affects the way we see ourselves and each other. At once humorous, maddening, and inspiring, Hollywood Chinese weaves a rich and complicated tapestry, one marked by unforgettable performances and groundbreaking films, but also one tainted by a tangled history of race.

For more information go to http://www.hollywoodchinese.com

[MCA™]

Chillfest Second Sunday Series
 
Next screening: KATE CLINTON: 25TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR
Sunday, March 9, 2PM
LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, Downtown Jersey City

Director Andrea Meyerson will appear for Q&A

Kate Clinton -- out, proud and hilarious for 25 years -- recently concluded her silver anniversary celebration tour, her funniest ever. Award-winning director Andrea Meyerson (the "Laughing Matters" series) weaves the hilarity onstage with sincerity offstage, as Clinton reflects on her career as an out lesbian comic.

Clinton calls herself "the last lesbian comic standing," and she truly stands at the forefront of the lesbian movement, where her sharp, politically charged humor has made her a celebrated voice of enlightenment and empowerment.

This engaging documentary runs the gamut as wide-ranging as Clinton's hilarious routine, from aging to sex to politics, and we also see Clinton banter with her partner of 18 years, Urvashi Vaid. Cameos by stars Melissa Etheridge, Lily Tomlin and Billie Jean King round out the film.

Come raise a glass in Downtown Jersey City at LITM to the other Clinton, Kate!, whom we have known longer and who has had such an impact on so many of us over the past quarter century.

WINNER! Best Comedy, OUT TAKES Dallas Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. New Jersey premiere. Sponsored by Jersey City Lesbian and Gay Outreach as part of their Celebration of Women's History Month.

[MCA™]

The next event in the Chillfest Second Sunday Series is

FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO
Sunday, February 10th at 2:00PM.
@ LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, Downtown Jersey City

Director Daniel Karslake will appear for Q&A

Can the love between two people ever be an abomination? Is the chasm separating gays and lesbians and Christianity too wide to cross? Is the Bible an excuse to hate?

Through the experiences of five very normal, very Christian, very American families -- including those of former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt and Episcopalian Bishop Gene Robinson -- we discover how insightful people of faith handle the realization of having a gay child. Informed by such respected voices as Bishop Desmond Tutu, Harvard's Peter Gomes, Orthodox Rabbi Steve Greenberg and Reverend Jimmy Creech, FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO offers healing, clarity and understanding to anyone caught in the crosshairs of scripture and sexual identity.

FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO
Winner! HBO Audience Award, Provincetown Film Festival
Winner! Audience Award for Best Documentary, Seattle International Film Festival
Winner! Audience Award, OUTFEST

[MCA™]

The next event in the Chillfest Second Sunday Series is:

THE GODFATHER OF DISCO
Sunday, January 13th at 2:00PM
at LITM, 140 Newark Avenue, Downtown Jersey City

• Director Gene Graham will appear for Q&A
• Meet RANDY JONES, disco pop icon as The Cowboy of VILLAGE PEOPLE!

At the heart of THE GODFATHER OF DISCO--a remarkable, music-filled documentary--is the story of Mel Cheren, the 'Godfather' himself who passed away December 2007. Based on Mel Cheren's powerful autobiography, "My Life and the Paradise Garage: Keep On Dancin'," the documentary is a who's who of the dance music community. THE GODFATHER OF DISCO follows the arc of Cheren's life to examine the early '70s musical and cultural currents that gave birth to disco, house, electronica, and hip hop; West End Records' contribution to that scene; and the rise of Paradise Garage. This evocative work will interest anyone who has ever cut loose on the dance floor!

THE GODFATHER OF DISCO - Winner! 2007 Emerging Filmmaker Award, 25th Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival.

[MCA™]

Relax and enjoy the show
Chillfest brings gay and lesbian film series to JC

By: Madeline Friedman, Reporter staff writer

Chillfest, Jersey City's "mostly" gay and lesbian film festival, has extended its stay on city screens this year. For the past two years, the popular festival was only a weekend long. But this year, festival programmers and founders John Catania and Charles Ignacio have expanded the festival into a six-month long affair.

The Chillfest Second Sundays Series runs from Nov. 11 all the way through June 8, and will feature a new film every second Sunday of the month. Films will be screened at LITM bar located at 140 Newark Ave. in Jersey City.

The series format is partly a response to festival-goers' concerns that they couldn't see all the films in past years because of simultaneous screenings. Now, with the new format, the public can see a different film each month without having to worry about overlap.

"It's a great leap for us," Catania said of the new series. "The new format also helps to raise even more awareness of the festival and its themes." He added, "Charles and I think it's better because [before] we were only on the radar once a year. Now we're on the radar year-round."

How it started
Partners in life and in business, Catania and Ignacio moved to JC from Manhattan in 2000. "We are basically a working couple," Catania said. "We've [worked together to] produce movies, television shows and then Chillfest."

The idea for Chillfest came in 2005, Catania said, after he and Ignacio finished work on their documentary film, "The Lady in Question is Charles Busch." The critically-acclaimed movie documents the life of 1980s fringe theater fixture Busch, who also did classic B movies such as "Psycho Beach Party" and "Die Mommy, Die." "We were suddenly a lot less busy [after the film was completed]," Catania said. "And we wanted to show the movie to our neighbors in Jersey City." The Jersey City Museum gave them a screening room, and they invited other filmmakers they had met while touring on the festival circuit to show their work.

Catania said the growing presence of the gay community in Jersey City also inspired him and Ignacio to start the festival. "The gay community in Jersey City is growing very rapidly," he said. He added that the strength of such groups as JCLGO (Jersey City Lesbian and Gay Outreach) show that growth. "It's because of them we did Chillfest," he added.

Creating a dialogue
Catania and Ignacio hand pick films for the festival that they think will have resonance with the Jersey City community, Catania said. "Many film festivals will accept entries," he said. "We're not into that. We're scouting and going to see films." One of the films that they selected for this year's festival is "Saving Marriage," which tells of the political and personal drama that unfolded in Massachusetts after the state became the first to grant gay couples the right to marry, and then a proposed amendment to the state constitution threatened to take it away.

The film was shown last Sunday at a special screening event, held a week before the official launch of the festival, at the Jersey City Museum. "That film is extremely important to see in New Jersey," Catania said. "New Jersey is facing [that same predicament] within the next two years," he added.

It also has personal resonance for Catania and Ignacio, who have been together for 14 years. The couple took advantage of New Jersey's new civil union ruling in a ceremony this past summer.

Another aim of the festival is to have the filmmakers discuss their work with the audience. "That is the real spirit of the film festival," Catania said. "It's not to just show films, it's a dialogue with the community."

What's in a name?
Catania said the name of the festival was inspired by the spirit of Jersey City's nickname, which is "Chilltown." One of the aims of the festival, he said, was "showing art and film in a relaxed setting." Another goal is to enrich the experience of the gay community in town, many of whom often go to Manhattan. "It's a great way to keep people in town," Catania said.

The festival is the "mostly" gay film festival, Catania said, because the audience is not all gay, and the films that they show are not all by gay filmmakers and not all about gay content. He continued, "in talking to other film festival heads, they feel boxed in. It gives us room to expand." A film's societal relevance also helps it make the cut. "We'll show the community a film that we think would be important to see," he said.

Looking ahead
This Sunday is the big launch of the Second Sundays series, which kicks off with the film "Holding Trevor." The film "delves into the hearts, minds, and bedrooms of the 20-something set," Catania said. Writer/actor Brent Gorski will host a question and answer session afterwards. After this weekend's premier, there will be one movie shown per month until June 8.

For coming years, Catania said he and Ignacio are looking to branch out to another screen in the Journal Square area sometime soon. "The third location is an important goal because the community there is so diverse," Catania said. But he was not sure what else would be in store further on down the line for Chillfest.

"The gay [film] festival in LA has been around for 25 years. Newfest in New York has been around for 20 years. It took a long time for them to know what they would be. I don't know where we'll be in five years," he said. But there was one thing he said with certainty: "We'll be bigger."

Chillfest Second Sundays will kick off with "Holding Trevor," on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $7 at the door. For more information, go to http://www.chillfest.org

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